


Under the Moonlight

by miraakcultist



Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, disgusting fluff, gondola ride, incontro romantico in venice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-29
Updated: 2016-11-29
Packaged: 2018-09-02 23:17:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8687374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miraakcultist/pseuds/miraakcultist
Summary: Ezio wants to take Leonardo for a ride on a gondola. As friends, of course.





	

The idea came to Ezio after he had just assassinated a target given to him by Lorenzo. On a _boat_.

Of course, later that night, Ezio would lay down in the soft linens of Leonardo's bed and realize that his little plan, in fact, had been slowly brewing inside him. He suspected it was born when he first got into that gondola to help Caterina.

Truly, however, the idea only became _tangible_ after that assassination. Ezio had been following Lorenzo’s gondolier by boat himself. He had considered simply tailing him from across the rooftops, as was Ezio’s usual _modus operandi_ , but he was _finally_ getting the hang of rowing those Venetian gondolas. Why not take the opportunity to see just how refined his “boat skills” had become? His brother would likely have said something along the lines of it being a healthier hobby than pickpocketing passersby. Not that he’d stop pickpocketing in favor of rowing a gondola. He could handle both.

In the end, Ezio was pleased to note that his “boat skills” had come far since his first clumsy attempts at rowing. In his musings, he figured that he had become decent enough at it to invite some lovely lady for a nightly ride.

Or, perhaps, instead, a certain blue-eyed friend who’d been in his mind a lot lately.

If Ezio did invite him for a ride, and ended up making a fool out of himself in the process, they could just laugh it off later, as friends often do. It would be fun. And he had been trying to find an excuse to drag Leonardo out of his workshop to spend some time together. As friends.

Yes, Ezio mused, he could take Leonardo for a ride on a gondola.

 

* * *

 

It was almost a week later when Ezio decided to act on his idea.

He was at Antonio’s, his robes clean and armor sporting a timid shimmer, looking at himself in the mirror the thief had let him borrow. Ezio had decided to let his hair loose for a change; after all, he might as well look relaxed if he was going for a little gondola ride with Leonardo.

“So, when are you going to tell me who’s the lucky lady, Ezio?” Antonio teased, apparently unable to hold it in any longer.

“There is no lady,” Ezio replied, barely holding back a scoff, and continued to comb the locks of dark chestnut hair still tangled together. “I’m just going to be with a friend, that’s all.”

“Must be a very _special_ friend.”

Ezio rolled his eyes and focused on combing his hair. He should have known Antonio would assume. He hadn’t been suspicious when Ezio had washed his Assassin robes or polished his armor. He had to do so rather often when he was in Venice. He was an _Assassino_ , but that didn’t mean he wanted to walk around in grimy clothes, smelling like sewage.

Sure, maybe this time Ezio had done it because he wanted to look _presentable_ , but that did not _mean_ anything. He just wanted to look proper for when he invited Leonardo for a ride. The fact he was wearing the same cologne he used to wear when visiting Cristina or Isabela did not mean anything either. Ezio did not exactly have a large selection of scents to choose from, and he’d much rather smell like his cologne than smell like Venice.

And, of course, there was the whole letting his hair loose. He usually kept it tied back in a ponytail because it was practical. But Ezio wasn’t going to climb rooftops or assassinate anybody that night, and figured he might as well let his hair loose. It was not a big deal, and certainly had nothing to do with the fact he looked indeed quite charming with his hair like that. Ezio knew he was quite dashing with his hair falling over his shoulders like that; many women had told him so. Ezio did not intend to _seduce_ his friend. He just wanted to look _presentable_.

However, if Leonardo did feel seduced… Far be it from Ezio to complain

“He’s just a friend, Antonio,” Ezio explained, though somehow he felt it wouldn’t make a difference to the thief. Still, his point stood. “I’m not taking him to some _incontro romantico_ at midnight.”

He heard Antonio’s cheery chuckle behind him.

"’He’, eh? Whatever you say, Ezio. Though I have to admit, had I known you fancied men, I’d have made a move myself,” he teased, earning himself an eye roll from Ezio.

He checked himself out one last time before making haste outside, eager to be rid of the thief and his teasing.

“Have a good night, Ezio!” Antonio laughed behind him.

Ezio only slowed his pace as he got closer to Leonardo’s workshop, adopting a leisured stance as he walked. It was nice just to stroll around like a normal person, without climbing or jumping ledge to ledge. However, with each step that brought him closer to the _Bottega_ , he felt somewhat more apprehensive. Leonardo could be busy. Or… what if he simply did not want to go? What if he read this situation wrong and felt offended at Ezio’s advances? Not that he was going to make any advances! He just wanted to take him for a gondola ride at night, as friends.

The lesser the distance, the harder it became to continue to walk. That was a bad idea. The man was probably busy with his commission, or some invention, or… _something_. Not to mention that he’d probably give Leonardo the wrong impression.

Or maybe… maybe it was the right impression? Would it really be bad if this friendly gondola ride might not be as platonic as Ezio tried to convince himself it was? Maybe Leonardo would like the idea… Or maybe he’d hate it, and it’d be awkward, and-

Either way, it was too late to change his mind now.  Ezio was right in front of the workshop. He put his hood down, and gathered his courage. It was just spending some time with a friend. Leonardo was always kind to him, and if he did not want to go, he’d be respectful about it. He would not be contemptuous to Ezio. It was going to be _fine._ Ezio knocked twice on his door, but didn’t go in as he usually did.

When he heard Leonardo’s footsteps approaching, Ezio cursed himself for having his hood down. Were it raised over his head, the blossoming blush on his cheeks would not be as obvious.

“Ezio, my friend!” Leonardo chimed when he opened the door. Ezio could not help but notice the way his gaze lingered on him just a little longer than usual. Perhaps his own stare lingered as well when looking at Leonardo’s intense sky-blue eyes. They were so lovely, peaceful but draped with mischief. They were so focused at whatever they were pointed at; Ezio thought being stared by those eyes should feel like scrutiny, but it just felt… serene. It felt like he wouldn’t mind if those eyes stayed on him all night. Maybe he’d even like that. Ezio shook those thoughts before their silent moment of mutual ogling grew into awkwardness.

“ _Salute_ , Leonardo. Are you too busy right now?” he asked, feeling his blush deepen, his resolve slowly faltering. That was a _bad_ idea.

His friend hesitated before replying.

"Well, I do have some work to do, but… am I actually going to do it?” Leonardo laughed, and the sound brought a hush of affection in Ezio. Leonardo had such a hearty, adorable laugh. He loved to bring out that laughter in him. Again, Ezio had to shake such thoughts. “How can I help you, Ezio?”

Ezio shifted on his feet a bit. Now that he was _there_ , he realized he had not thought on how to approach the man. Which was ridiculous, of course, he was just inviting him for spending some time with him. It wasn’t supposed to mean too much, but he directed his gaze to the ground nonetheless before speaking again.

“I- I was thinking… I wanted to… I mean, if _you_ want to… I…”

When Ezio tentatively looked up to his friend again, Leonardo’s eyes were on him, expectant but patient, and his lips were curled into an affectionate smile.

“I’ve become better at- at rowing,” he elaborated. “I was wondering, maybe I could… We could… I could take you… on a ride tonight? A gondola ride. If you want to?” Ezio’s eyes fell to his feet as he braced himself for the worst. He knew it; the rejection would come at any second now, and he just hoped Leonardo would be kind about it-

“I’d love to!” came Leonardo’s enthusiastic answer almost immediately, causing Ezio to look at him again. Leonardo wore a criminally adorable cheeky grin, his freckles standing out under the warm light outside his workshop. “Are we going now?”

Ezio had to take some time to absorb the information that _yes_ , Leonardo said he’d _love to_! Maybe it hadn’t been a bad idea, and he had just been overthinking because he was nervous. Leonardo’s words alone gave Ezio the confidence boost he needed, and when he spoke again, he didn’t stutter, though the flush on his cheeks was still present. Yet, now that he was looking at his friend, Ezio noticed Leonardo was blushing too.

“Yes, now!” he beamed, and in a daring moment took Leonardo’s hand to guide him to the nearby bridge, leaving him barely enough time to shut the workshop’s door. Ezio knew there was a vacant gondola there that he could… _borrow._

Only after his fingers were tangled with Leonardo’s did he realize what he had done. But… Leonardo wasn’t making any efforts to set himself free of his grasp; if anything, he tightened the grip of their hands. So Ezio just… went along.

When they reached the nearby canal, Ezio mourned the loss of contact when he had to release Leonardo’s hand to jump down the gondola.

“Come down here, Leonardo!” he chimed. “I’ll catch you, don’t worry. You can jump.”

Leonardo didn’t seem as confident as he was, but carefully jumped down as asked. Ezio grabbed him firmly, even as his friend yelped when the gondola moved with the force of impact. Ezio just chuckled, his arms still around Leonardo’s waist. He then realized the intimacy of the gesture, and released quickly, but not so abruptly that Leonardo would fall from the boat. _That_ would certainly be disastrous

“N-now you just sit there and I’ll… take you places,” he began, a shy smile forming on his lips as he grabbed the row. “Just make sure to grab tight to the gondola when I turn – my turning skills are still a little… awkward.”

“Well, then! What are we waiting for, my charming gondolier? Let’s be off!” Leonardo replied with another of his loveable cheeky grins, relaxing on the gondola’s seat.

Ezio had to force himself to take his eyes off Leonardo, so he could direct the gondola to the middle of the canal. He did not miss it when his blush deepened the moment Leonardo called him charming. Whether or not his friend was teasing did not matter to his cheeks, apparently.

Ezio took great care to go slow, keeping the gondola as steady as he could; it wouldn’t do well to splash too much of the water. He often let his eyes fall to Leonardo as they went, exchanging some words during the ride. They talked about the artist’s ongoing commission, Ezio teased him about his laziness, Leonardo enthused about the recent codex pages the assassin brought him, and they laughed over some stories they shared.

Eventually, they settled into a comfortable sort of silence, broken only by the soothing splashing sounds of the gondola and the rowing. The night sky was reflected on the water, moonlight shining over the two of them. Leonardo had his eyes everywhere, appreciating the beauty of Venice at night, and Ezio could not help but notice how his beautiful blue gaze seemed to always fall back to look at him after a while. Occasionally, Ezio would row them under a bridge, and it would bring a moment of closeness between them, only partially gone when the gondola crossed.

How long they were there, with Ezio rowing them in a lazy pace around Venezia’s canal, they could not tell. It could have been hours. They didn’t care; they were enjoying themselves too much to pay attention. However, they couldn’t stay there all night long, and ultimately Ezio rowed them near the docks.

“I’m afraid I might crash this thing if I get too close,” Ezio said, his voice low enough that it rose from their relaxed silence rather than shattered it. “So I’ll jump to the dock, then you jump and I’ll catch you again. Is that alright?”

“Of course, my friend,” Leonardo replied, smiling. He looked so endearing under the shimmering moonlight; the water’s reflection dancing in his gorgeous eyes, and it brought out a deeper shade of blue in them than Ezio was used to, causing a gentle flutter to his heart. He couldn’t fight the fond smile forming on his face; wouldn’t even if he could. Ezio kept his eyes on Leonardo until they approached the docks and he steadied the gondola.

“Hold tight now, I’m getting off,” Ezio said, and made a skilled easy jump to the docks.

He turned to Leonardo, who was still sitting in the gondola, his grip firm on the boat’s seat as if holding on for dear life.

“Come, now. I’ll _probably_ catch you,” Ezio teased, holding his arms out.

Leonardo shook his head at the comment, but got up and braced himself for the jump. He looked a bit tense in his hesitation, making Ezio chuckle.

“Come, Leo, don’t be afraid. Just jump; come to me.”

At that, Leonardo closed his eyes and made the jump, Ezio’s firm arms wrapping themselves around his waist. Feeling playful, Ezio lifted Leonardo off the ground after his landing and spun him around, earning a half-hearted yelp and a laugh that sounded suspiciously like a giggle. When he steadied Leonardo back on the ground, he was still holding him by the waist, and somehow they were even closer now, Leonardo’s bright blue eyes looking right at Ezio’s honey brown ones.

Ezio felt a passionate wave of affection for his friend right then, as he became lost into the moonlit blue of his eyes. Their faces were even closer now, and Ezio couldn’t explain how. He should stop this, he briefly wondered. He should release his friend and put some distance between them. But the comfortable warmth of Leonardo’s body against his own was so pleasant, and they fit together perfectly. Ezio plainly did not want to stop holding him.

He barely noticed it when Leonardo closed the last remnants of distance between them, timid lips held against Ezio’s, inviting him to respond. The small part of his mind still capable of coherent thought right then found it an enticing offer, and Ezio kissed him back almost instantaneously, tightening their embrace. He felt Leonardo’s arms close around his neck, clinging to him snugly.

At first, their kiss was chaste, slow, holding no promises of more. It was easy, lazy, and though his heartbeat was thundering inside his chest, Ezio did not make any moves to quicken their pace. However, their kissing gradually deepened, and the first tentative brushes of Ezio’s tongue against Leonardo’s lips kindled a flame between them. Soon, their embrace had more groping than before, and they clung tighter to each other. Their pace became a bit more erratic, with the occasional clink of teeth, and wet sounds the only thing breaking the silence. There was nobody around peeking at them, and the nightly air was so cold, inviting them to each other’s warmth even further. Ezio found it so easy to kiss Leonardo’s open, pliant mouth; it was so natural it felt almost familiar.

Ezio felt a soft moan escape from Leonardo’s lips while they were still on his own, and smiled smugly in their kiss. He pulled away from Leonardo’s lips only to start kissing his neck, dipping little kisses at the curve of his jaw, and earning himself another, slightly louder moan. Feeling rather encouraged, he mouthed at Leonardo’s neck, biting and sucking hard enough to leave a mark. Ezio was rewarded with another of the delightful sounds, and that was more than enough to have him continue his work, nibbling and sucking on Leonardo’s neck, leaving a trail of kisses on his jaw, pausing only to briefly admire the blossoming bruise where he first latched his mouth.

The pair stood there, at the docks, kissing sweetly; Ezio doing his best to wring out those pretty noises from Leonardo, leaving a great deal of marks on his neck, always coming back to his mouth to swallow his soft moans. Whatever notion of time they had left was lost, its place taken by the sheer _feeling_ of their bodies held against each other in a tight embrace, their busy lips and tongues moving together with passionate intensity, the brush of Leonardo’s stubble against Ezio’s shaven skin adding a flare to their kisses.

Gradually, their heated pace slowed down again to that of the first chaste kiss, just the leisured feeling of each other, gentle caresses and tender touches coming back to replace the groping, which had grown more inappropriate over time.

Leonardo was the one to speak first when their kisses slowed down to an eventual halt and their lips were no longer touching, though there was barely any distance between them. His freckled face was flushed, eyes half closed dreamily, blown pupils staring intent, but tenderly at Ezio, who suspected sported a similar blush. Despite that, Ezio was sure there was no way he could ever look as lovely and adorable as the man in front of him.

“I wondered if this would ever happen,” he mused, grin widening. “I’m glad it did. I’m glad I’m here with you. But what does that make us?”

Ezio brought a hand to cup Leonardo’s cheek, a tender touch he could not avoid even if he wanted to.

“I don’t know,” he smiled and leaned towards Leonardo, their foreheads touching. Ezio could feel Leonardo’s erratic breath melt into his own. Hear the pounding of his heart, as fast and thundering as his own. “What do you want us to be?”

Leonardo hesitated then, his moonlit eyes adopting a sudden interest in his feet.

“Together?” he offered tentatively.

Ezio grinned before kissing his lips again, feeling the brush of Leonardo’s stubble on his skin.

“We can be that.”


End file.
